Chepstow Preview: Echo can have the Last laugh

Trainer Ralph Beckett does very well with his runners at Chepstow, and Last Echo can take advantage of a drop in class to provide him with another winner in the 1m 4f contest on this evening’s card (8.25).

The Newmarket handler has a 33% strike rate with his runners at the Welsh Venue in the past 12 months (Two winners and two placed from six runners), and in Last Echo has a filly who has relatively few miles on the clock and has fallen to a potentially dangerous mark.

The daughter Whipper was allotted an opening handicap mark of 65 on the back of a couple of promising runs in maidens, but has failed to live up to expectations in three subsequent starts.
However, that has resulted in the handicapper being quick to relent and Last Echo now gets into this low grade class 6 contest off a rating of just 56.

That gives the three-year-old a big shout at the weights in what is a very weak looking line-up, especially if she can build on her last run when staying on to finish fourth in a higher grade class 5 affair at Salisbury.

In the 2m handicap (7.25), Deauville Dancer is impossible to oppose following a runaway success last time out.

The Sir Mark Prescott trained gelding bolted up by six lengths over 1m 6f at Nottingham last month, and although raised 12lb his revised mark of 75 may still be on the lenient side.

The three-year-old toyed with his rivals at Colwick Park, sauntering clear to score with any amount in hand, and looks the type who may have even more to offer now stepped up further in trip.

Medburn Cutler caught the eye last time out and looks to have been found a golden opportunity to open his account in the 2m 2f contest (7.55).

The gelding had proved disappointing when trained by George Baker, but put in a much improved effort on debut for Paul Henderson when staying on well from off the pace to finish an never nearer fourth of 10 to Grayswood over 1m 6f at Ffos Las.

The four-year-old went down by just 2 3/4 lengths despite getting little assistance in the saddle from Renato Souza, and may well have gone close given stronger handling.
Medburn Cutler now gets the services of Silvestre De Sousa in the saddle, and he looks the ideal partner to get the best out of the son of Zafeen in whats looks a very weak and winnable class 6 contest.